Refrigerator



July 12,1927. k 1,635,668

G. J. GRUENDLER REFRIGERATOR v Filed May 22 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet l 7% ld/ t ff f3 #23 f6 f3 f 1,635,668 July 12j 1927 v G. J. GRUENDLER REFRIGERATOR Filed May 22 1926 3 sheets-sheet 2 1,635,668 July 12 1927' G. J. GRUENDLER REFRI GERATOR Filed May 22 192e 3 sheets-sheet 3 mapa/776x? chamber extended only Patented July 12, 1927.

- UNITED STATES G Irsuv J. enUnNnLnn,

1,636,666 PATENT oFFlcE.

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application nica my 2z, 192s. serial no. 110,929.

two thirds of the length of the refrigerator and that from one third to one half of the length of the refrigerator was used for chambers 'in which were mounted the refrigerant' containers. These chambers occupied by the refri erator containers al-.V

though, of course, coo ed to a very low temperature could not be used for storing provisions. A

The objects of this invention are -to provide a refrigerator wherein the refrigeranty containers for cooling the storageichamber thereof are so positioned and arranged that the storage chamber of the refrigerator will extend the whole length of the refrigerator and to provide in a refrigerator one'or more refrigerant containers which may be quickly and easily charged witha refrigerant and which may be quickly and easily emptied and then moved from the refrigerator to be cleaned. p

A practical embodiment of my invention is fully shown inV thefaccompanying drawings wherein similar characters are used to designate similar parts; F1gs.` 1, 3,4 and 5 are top, front, back'and end views, respectively, o f the refrigerator embodying "my, invention; Fig. 2 is a section along the lmet-1v 2 2 in Fig. 3;" Fig. 6 is a section taken generally along the lines 6 6 in' F 1g.f4;`l and Fig. 7 shows a detail of constructlon, as 'will be more fully1 hereinafter set forth.

In this embodiment of my invention the refrigerator has an elongated storage'cham- .Y

ber 1 which has in its front wall transparent panels 2 and inA its topl wall transparent panels 3. The rear wall of the storage chamber for a portion of its length` 1s 1nclined,'as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, and has mounted thereinv a plurality of doors 4' which may contain transparent`panels and -which are positioned and arranged so that articles may be put into or taken from the storage chamber 1 through-the door openfrom one half to.

ings.V The storage chamber 1 also has a bottom wall 5 which is, in this fforni of my invention, positioned above the bottom of the refrigerator, since, as shown, the storage lchamberis formed only in the upper part of the refri erator. All ofthe walls of the Storage c amberare, ofcourse, properly insulated. A shelf 6 for provisions and, preferably, made in a number of"` sections to` facilitate its removal from the stora chamber is supported therein by the -shaped han ers 7 and the angle brackets 8 mounted on t e walls -of the refrigerator at intervals along the length of the shelf 6, as clearly shown in' Figs. 2 and I6.

V In this embodiment the storage chamber ljhas therein two'contamers adapted to be charged lwith ice or vsome other refrigerant preferably, positioned along and s ad from the bottom wall 5 of the storage' c amber and,l as shown in Fig. 2, substantially co-extensive therewith. Each of these containers comprise in this form of my inven- I tion a rectangular header 9 open at thetop and a plurality of tubes 10 extendin therefrom. I prefer that the containers positioned inthe storage chamber with the head- *ers'9 at the rear of the refri le'rator and the tubes 10 extendin forwar y towards the front thereof so t at the front of the lstorage chamber will .beopen and an unobstructed view of the rovisions stored therein may be had. A o', this positioning of containers allows them to be more readily chargedl .with ice or ,other refrigerant, in

9 and the strips 12 arranged under the tubes 10. The rear wall of the refrigerator has in that part thereof `which is substantially horizontal one .or more substantially'honzontally disposed openings 13, preferably, as long as one of the containers'and each positioned`above oneof theA headers 9 and normally closed by af closure 13. Also, the

rear wall has in that ortion thereof which is substantiallyl vertica one or more substantiallyfvertically disposed openings 14 each positioned belundand as long as one of the containers and `otherwise adapted and arranged so that/one of the containers may bemoved therethrough, as hereinafter set forth. Each `of the openings 14 is normally closed byv a closure 14.

Each of the containers has an overiiow `the manner more 'fully hereinafter der cribed. The `containers are supported by the blocks 11 arranged under the header pipe 16 which has perforations 17 nearits up er end and which is'thre'aded at its lower en into the boss 18 carried by the botto-m of the header 9. The bottom of the header has therein an opening which substantially registers with the passage through the pipe and, therefore, that portion of the bottom of the header adjacent the o ening forms a shoulder 19 extending inwar ly at the lower edge of theyboss 18 to engage the lower end of the wall of the pipe 16 when it is turned into the boss.

A sump 20 is provided in substantially the longitudinal center of the bottom wall ofthe storage chamber and, preferably, near the rear thereof and is of a length-to extend under the discharge opening of the overflow pipe 16 in both of the refrigerant containers, as shown in Fig. 2 and in detail in Fig. 7. The waste pipe 22 has the u per end thereof projecting upwardly' a s ort distance above the bottom of the sump 20 and aperforated cap 21 is providedover the projecting end of the waste pipe, all as shown. The waste pipe 22 may. lead by complementary connections to a sewer or other place of ischarge, not shown.

.A scale stand 23 may be provided at the back of the refrigerator, as shown in the figures. perishable goods may be arranged in the lower part of the refrigerator.

The o eration of this' embodiment of my new an improved .refrigerator is .as follows: When the containers are in position in the storage chamber 1 the Vclosures 13 are removed from the openings 13 and a refrigerant such as cracked ice and salt is poured into each of the containers through the open tops of the headers 9 and is forced into the tubes 10. I prefer that the open- -ings of the tubes into the headers 9 be substantially the same area as the crosss'ection of the tubes themselves and if formed in this way I have found that the cracked ice may be quickly and easily tampedxinto the tubes to fill them throughout their entire length. A shield may be provided to prevent'any of the cracked ice from falling downwardly at the rear of the headers 9 into the space between the headers and the adjacent wall. After the containers have been charged with a refrigerant the closures 13* are replaced.

The brine resulting from the melting of Ithe ice will be collected in the containers until the Water has filled the tubes 10 and has reached the p 'forations 17 at the upper end of the overow pipes 16. In some instances the containers may be filled with brine and then the brine may be cooled by placing the ice in it or' by any other means.

The perforations 17 may be placed at any point in the overflow pipes 16 to create and maintain any desired predetermined level are replaced.

Also a shelf 25 for storing im-A Lacasse of brine in the containers and in turn to collect a predetermined amount of brine therein. The surplus brine resulting from the further meltin l ofthe ice in each container will pass t rough the perforations downwardly through the overflow pipe 16 into the sump 20 from where it wil drain through the waste `pipe 22, as explained vbe light and easily handled-and may be easily removed through the substantially vertically disposed openings 14. After the containers have been cleaned theyare replaced through the openings 14, theoveriiow pipes 16 are screwed into the bosses 18, the containers are then charged, as-described above, and the closures 13'* and 14* Since, as set forth, the containers are each spaced from the bottom wall 5 of the storage chamber 1 by means of the blocks 11 and the strips 12, air may circulate all around the headers 9 and the tubes 10 and may contact with all portions of the cold exposed area of the containers and a low temperature will be created in the, entire storage chamber. I prefer that the containers are substantially co-extensive with the bottom wall 5 of the storage chamber, as described, sothat the entire storage chamber may be maintained at approximately the same temperature and that one part thereof will not be warmer or colder than another part.

While, as stated above, the refrigerator described herein embodies one form of my invention in which ice or a similar refrigerant is used it may be readily understood thatI other embodiments of my .invention may be made to use other refrigerants and the shape, size and arrangement of the various parts may b'e varied Within wide limits without deviating from the spirit of the claims set forth below.' Y y What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:-

1. A showfcase refrigerator having an elongated storage chamber therein, a container for ice positioned along the bottom wall of said storagf chamber, the walls of said storagecham r having therein a substan-l tially horizontally disposed opening through which said container may be charged with ice and a substantiall `vertically disposed opening through whic said container may be moved from said refrigerator, and closures'for said openings.

said container may be moved from said re.

1,ass,ees

2. A show case refrigerator having a storage chamber therein, one or more containers for ice positioned along and spaced from the-bottom wall of said storage chamber and substantially co-extensive therewith, each of said containers comprisin a header and a lurality of tubes extending therefrom, and) the .walls of said storage chamber having an opening positioned above said header through which said containers may be charged with ice and an opening behind one of said containers through which frigerator, and closures for said openings.

3. A show-case refrigerator having an elongated storage chamber therein, one or more containersfor a refrigerant positioned along and spaced from a bottom wall of said storage chamber, each of said\contain ers comprising a header positioned at the rear of said storage chamber and a plurality of tubes` extending forwardly therefrom, said refrigerator having in a substantially horizontally disposed wall thereof an opening through which one of said containers may be charged with ice and having in a substantially vertical wall thereof an opening through which one of said lcontainers may be moved from said refrigerator, clo- ,sures for said'openings, means for collecting a predetermined amount of brine in said containers, and means for draining said co1- lected brine from said refrigerator before I said containers are moved from said refrigerator.

In vitness whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

.GUSTAV J. GRUENDLER. 

